Tool for assembling plates in flatwise engagement and method of assembling plates



Nov. 6, 1962 c. E. CHESSER 3,062,

TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING PLATES IN FLATWISE ENGAGEMENT AND METHOD OFASSEMBLING PLATES Original Filed Jan. 28, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet lfnz/enior:

Gee I E C /Ecssc'r Nov. 6, 1962 c. E. CHESSER 3,062,261

TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING PLATES IN FLATWISE ENGAGEMENT AND METHOD OFASSEMBLING PLATES Original Filed Jan. 28, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 2lnverzior: C ccz'Z C'lzesser Nov. 6, 1962 c. E. CHESSER 3,062,261

TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING PLATES IN FLATWISE ENGAGEMENT AND METHOD OFASSEMBLING PLATES Original Filed Jan. 28, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 66Irv/6122 02 I6 5 Cecz'l 6. C'lzess'er Nov. 6, 1962 c. E. CHESSER3,062,261

TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING PLATES IN FLATWISE ENGAGEMENT AND METHOD OFASSEMBLING PLATES Original Filed Jan. 28, 195

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man 3 QR N {QN Nov. 6, 1962 c. E. CHESSER 3,062,

TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING PLATES IN FLATWISE ENGAGEMENT AND METHOD OFASSEMBLING PLATES Original Filed Jan. 28, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 F g4 z-25 WIIIIIIIIIIIII/ IN VEN TOR.

Cecil 5. C/zesser United States Patent Original application Jan. 28,1954, Ser. No. 406,769..

Divided and this application Sept. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 769,622

15 Claims. (Cl. 153-2) This application is a division of my pendingapplication, Serial No. 406,769, filed January 28, 1954 and nowabandoned.

This invention relates to the connection of sheet metal plates infiatwise interengagement with each other and is especially useful in themanufacture of cooking ranges and various other cabinets embodying sheetmetal parts.

A particular object is to provide a tool for securing a pair of platesin firm flatwise interengagement.

Various other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a pair of this application,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of plates about to bepreliminarily assembled preparatory to their securement together;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the plates preliminarilyassembled;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but includes a hand operated tool,with parts broken away mounted in position for conunencement of theoperation by which the plates are to be securely fastened together intight, fiatwise interengagement;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in section and partly inelevation, of the tool and plates shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 5-5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but with the tool in an adjustment atwhich the plates have been drawn together in tight, flatwiseinterengagement;

FIG. 7 is an axial plan view of the tool and edge view of the plates inthe adjustment shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 8-8 in FIG. 7,similar to FIG. 5 but at a later stage of the operation;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but is partly in sec tion and partlyin elevation, with parts broken away and with the tool in its finaladjustment, showing the plates interlocked in final condition;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 10-10 in FIG.9, similar to FIGS. 5 and 8 but at a still later stage;

FIG. 11 is sectional view taken as indicated by the line 111-1 1 in FIG.3;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the plates finally interlocked;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 6 but taken at the completionof the operation of the tool and with the tool released, preparatory toits removal;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but shows a modified hand tool;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 15-15 in FIG.14 and turned 90;

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15 but shows the tool in its finaladjustment, in which the plates have been securely locked together infiatwise interengagement;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a deforming element of the tool ofFIGS. 14 to 16;

3,062,261 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 FIG. 18 shows the plates fastenedtogether by the tool of FIGS. 14 to 17;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 19-19 in FIG.18;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view of a hand-controlled fiuidoperated tool foruniting a pair of plates in accordance with my invention, with thedeforming portions of the tool in position preparatory to the deformingoperation, and with a pair of plates assembled therewith;

FIG. 21 is a view similar to FIG. 20 but with the deforming elements ofthe tool in final position, at the completion of the deformingoperation, with the plates locked together;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 22-22 in FIG.21;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the plates locked to+ gether by thetool of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 shows a portion of the tool of FIG. 20 with modified deformingelements, preparatory to the deforming operation and a pair of platesassembled therewith;

FIG. 25 is a view similar to FIG. 24 but with the deforming elements infinal position, at the completion of the deforming operation, with theplates locked together;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 26-26 in FIG.25;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the plates locked together by the toolof FIG. 24;

FIG. 28 is a fragmentary sectional view of another em bodiment of handtool embodying my invention, shown in operative relation to the pair ofplates upon which said tool is working, in the first stage of theoperation;

FIG. 29 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 28, at a subsequent stageof the operation; 1

FIGS. 30 and 31 are sectional views taken substantially along the lines30-30 and 31-31, respectively, of FIG. 28;

FIG. 32 is a plan view of the tool shown in FIGS. 28- 31;

FIG. 33 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33-33 ofFIG. 29, and

FIG. 34 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the tool shown in FIG.32.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, il-lus: trating variousembodiments of the invention, there is shown in FIG. 1 a pair of plates30 and 32 adapted to interlocked in flatw-ise interengagement by varioustools embodying features of the invention toproduce a variety ofconnections by various methods embodying features of the invention.

A tongue 34, having .a hole 36, and extending at a right angle to theremainder of the plate 30, is struck therefrom. The plate 32 has a slot38 adapted to readily and freely receive the tongue 34. The plates 30and 32 are preliminarily assembled as shown in FIG. 2 for assembly witha hand-operated tongue-deforming tool 42 in accordance with the form ofthe invention shown inv FIGS. 3 to 11 and 13. The tool 42 comprises arod or shaft 44 having a longitudinal diametr'al end kenf 46 of a widthsuch as to slidably and fairly snugly receive the tongue 34, thediameter of the rod being substantially less than the width of thetongue so that, when the rod is slipped over the tongue with the rod andtongue coaxial, the side margins 48 of the tongue extend substantiallybeyond the sides of the rod, and the intermediate portion 50 of thetongue is located in the kerf as shown in FIGS. 3

V et seq. The rod 44 has an additional and wider and longer portion.

A pawl or lever 56 is fulcrumed to a pin '58 fixed to the rod 44 and hasat its outer end a ratchet type detent 60 urged toward the kerf 46 by aspring 62 held under compression betweenthe bottom 64 of the inner slotportion 55 and the inner arm 66 of the pawl.

With the plates 30 and 32 preliminarily assembled as shown in FIGS. 2, 3and 4, it is apparent that as the tongue 34 is slipped into the kerf 46,the tongue end 68 will engage the inclined edge 79 of the detent 6i) andcam it aside against the resistance of the spring 62, and, uponsubstantial completion of entry of the tongue, the detent will snap intothe tongue hole 36 so that the parts will be assembled to the extentshown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

A lever 72 is attached at one end as by threaded en- 'gagement (FIG. 4)to a sleeve 74 telescoped about the outer end portion 76 of the rod 44and has a handle 78 for rotating the same and diametrically oppositeradial slots 82 in said sleeve 74 '(FIGS. 5, 8 and 10) which are ofsubstantially the same length as, but wider than, the rod kerf 46 andsubstantially centrally receive the marginal portions 48 of the tongue34 when the intermediate portion 50 of the tongue is received in thekerf as shown in FIG. The inner portion 86 of the sleeve 74 has a slot88 into which projects an end 90 of the fulcrum pin 58. The slot 88 hasa portion 92 which extends normal to the axis of the sleeve 74 and asecond portion 94 which is a part of a helix inclined to said axis (FIG.7).

When the tool 42 is first applied to the plates 30 and 32 as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the fulcrum pin end 93 is disposed at the closed end 96of the helical slot portion 94, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 11. Fixed to theshaft 44 is a handle While the operator holds the handle 100 fixed inone hand, the tongue 34 assembled with the tool as shown in FIGS. 3 and4, the operator rotates the lever handle 78 clockwise as indicated bythe arrow 162 in FIG. 3, with the result that the inner wall 104 of thehelical carn slot portion 94, by virtue of engagement of said Wall withthe pin end 90, is cammed by the pin end, and thus the sleeve 74 shiftsrelative to the rod 44 toward the plate 32, the pitch of the helicalslot portion being .such as to effect sufficient relative movement toenable the sleeve to force the plate 32 into tight flatwise engagementwith the plate 30, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, with the detent 60 inengagement with the portion 106 of the tongue hole 36. At the completionof this relative movement, the pin end 90 is at the entrance 108 of theslot portion 92, as better shown in FIG. 7, and the walls 110 of theslots 82 have just come into engagement with the marginal portions 48 ofthe tongue 34, as shown in FIG. 8. 7

Now the sleeve handle 78 is further rotated and, throughout suchrotation, the pin end 90 is locked in the sleeve slot portion 92,withthe result that there is no relative axial movement between thesleeve 74 and the rod 44, but there is relative rotation therebetween,the coplanar end faces 112 of the sleeve sliding against the plate 32.The intersection of the sleeve slot walls 110 with the sleeve end faces114 is sharp so that the sleeve therea-t constitutes a pair of shearmembers which shear the marginal portions 48 of the tongue 34 in aclockwise direction to form tabs 116 on the opposite sides of thelongitudinal median of the tongue 34 (FIGS. 9, 10 and 12). The ta'bs 116tightly engage the plate 32 and thus afford a fixed coupling between theplates 30 and 32 without the use of additional fastening means.

To release the tool 42 from the plates 30 and 32, it is necessary merelyto depress the end 66 of the pawl 56 against the resistance of thespring 62, thereby witl drawing the detent 60 from the tool hole 36,whereupon the tool may be freely withdrawn, leaving the assembled platesas shown in FIG. 12.

Another plate assembly and hand tool 120 for effecting the same aredisclosed in FIGS. 14 and 19. In this form, the same plates 30 and 32may be used and preliminarily assembled as above. The tool comprises ahandle 122 from which extends a rod or shaft 124 having in its free end126 a longitudinal diametral kerf 128 in which the intermediate portion50 of the tongue 34 is adapted to pass as the tool is preliminarilyassembled with the plates as shown in FIG. 14. The tool rod 124 has aradial slot 130 normal to the kerf 128 and extend-, ing from the rod end126 to a point substantially beyond and communicating with the kerf, anda pawl or lever 132 is fulcrumed in the slot by a pin 134. The inner end136 of the pawl 132 is formed as a ratchet detent which is ca-mmed asideas the tongue end 68 passes into the kerf 128 against the resistance ofa spring 138 confined between the bottom of the slot 130 and the innerend 140 of the pawl, said spring operating to snap the detent into thetongue hole 36 to retain the plates 30 and 32 in preliminary assemblywith the tool as shown in FIG. 14.

The free end 126 of the rod 124 has a head 144 adapted to slidably abutthe inner end of a lever 146 having a sleeve 148 telescoped about therod. The rod head 126 is substantially V-notched as indicated at 156,affording inwardly converging walls 152 and 154 terminating inwardly atthe rod end ker-f 128. Hardened deforming elements 156 made of steel orother suitable material are provided, each pivoted at one end asindicated at 158 to the handle 146 on parallel axes at diametricallyopposite sides of and spaced from the rod head 144, the free endportions 160 of said elements projecting in the notches 150. The endportion 160 of each element 156 terminates in a nose having angularlyrelated faces164 tapering to an inclined juncture line 166, the end 163of said line being farthest from the handle 146, and the juncture linesbetween said faces and the outer surfaces 172 of the element being sharpand defining metahshearing edges. The rod head 144 is formed withpart-conical pockets 174 communicating with the kerf 128, the wide endsof the pockets being co-terminous with the rod 124, the walls 152 and154 of the V-notches 156 converging toward said pockets.

The lever sleeve 148 has a slot 186 into which projects an end (notshown) of the fulcrum pin 134, said end being disposed at the closed endof the inclined portion 184 of the slot when the parts are preliminarilyassembled as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, preparatory to thetonguedeforming operation. As the lever 145 is rotated by one hand ofthe operator in the direction indicated by the arrow 186 (FIG. 15) whilethe other hand of the operator holds the rod handle 122, the pin endrides in the inclined portion 184 of the slot 186 and reaches the openend 13 8 of said slot portion when the plates 30 and 32 are in tight,fiat-wise interengagement and the surfaces 172 of the deforming elements156 are in tight but slidable engagement with the plate 32. As therotation of the lever 146 is continued, the pin end rides in the slotportion 199 whose walls are normal to the axis of the rod 124, with theresult that the deforming 'ele ments 156, guided by the walls of thenotches 150, move toward the opposite faces of the tongue 34 andultimately depress portions of the tongue into the recesses 174 of theenlarged rod head portion 126, thus shearing the tongue portions engagedthereby to produce oppositely offset tongs 192 which take thepart-conical form of the recesses, the sheared edges of the tongsengaging the inner surface of the plate 32 to securely fasten the plates30 and 32 in fixed relation as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19.

The elements 156 during the deforming movement there.

FIGS. to 24. The tool 200 comprises a cylinder 202 in which is disposeda piston 204 having a depending sleeve 206 which telescopic lly receivesa guide rod 208 fixed as at 210 at its lower end to the bottom 212 of acasing member 214 secured to the bottom 215 of the cylinder. The casing214 has a lower side alcove 216 in which is secured a stationary dieblock or anvil 218 having a part-cylindrical bearing recess 220 in whichthe part-cylindrical projection 222 of a movable bending and shearingdie jaw 224 engages. The bending jaw 224 at the side opposite therounded projection 222 thereof has upper and lower surfaces 226 and 228obtusely inclined to each other with a preferably filleted juncture. Thedie jaw 224 is actuated by a plunger 230 having an upper laterallyoffset head 232 formed with an arcuate surface 234 in sliding engagementwith the outer surface of the piston sleeve 236, said plunger beingmovable in one direction or the other according as said head is moved bythe piston 204 or by the bottom flange 238 of the sleeve 206 as willappear. The plunger head 232 is adapted to fit slidably in the dependingcylindrical skirt 242 of the piston 204. The plunger 230 has a lowerinner surface 246 which is at all times in sliding engagement with theinner surface 248 of the alcove wall 250, and has a rounded bottom nose252 bearing against the adjacent side of the die jaw 224.

The anvil 218 has an intermediate preferably hardened projection 254below the rounded pocket 220 thereof, with a face 255 confronting thebending jaw 224, and the jaw has a central surface 256 complemental tothe anvil face and inclined side surfaces 257, forming with the surface256 a truncated V-groove, said side surfaces being adapted, as willappear, to occupy positions straddling the anvil projection (FIGS. 22and 23). The anvil 218 is formed with a hole 258 interrupting the anvilface 255 and of the same diameter as the tongue hole 36, and a pilot pin259 fixed to the jaw 224 has a tapered nose 260 adapted to be receivedin the tongue hole and project into the anvil hole, as will appear.

The tool 220 is preferably of a type adapted to be held in andcontrolled by one hand of the operator and, for this purpose, has ahandle 261 and a trigger control 262. The handle 261 is formed with acompressed air inlet 264 threaded at its outer end 266 for the receptionof the outlet of a compressed air unit (not shown), and has acylindrical bore 268 in which a slide valve 270 is reciprocable but notrotatable. The valve 270 may comprise a sleeve 272 and a rod 274 fixedthereto, said rod having at its inner end a round nose 276 biased by aspring 27 8 into engagement with the inclined cam surface 280 of thetnigger 262. The handle 261 has an inlet port 282 between the compressedair inlet passage 264 and the cylindrical bore 268. The slide valvesleeve 272 has ports 284, 286, 288 and 290, and the slide valve rod 274has a circumferential groove 292 communicating with the several sleeveports. The handle 261 has a passage 294 with a port 296 leadingtherefrom to the cylinder bore 268, said passage leading to the openupper port 298 of the cylinder 202. The handle 261 is further formedwith an exhaust hole 300 leading to the atmosphere.

The tool 200 is adapted to operate on a pair of plates 30 and 32preliminarily assembled as shown in FIG. 2. With the trigger 262 relaxed(FIG. 20), the operator lowers the tool 200 over the plates 30 and 32 sothat the tongue 34 is received through the opening 304 in the bottom 306of the alcove 216 and between the anvil projection 254 and the jaw 224,with the intermediate portion 50 of the tongue in engagement with theanvil face 255 and the marginal portions 48 of the tongue extendinglaterally beyond the side edges 308 of said face, with the top 68 of thetongue somewhat below the rounded jaw projection 222, and with the upperend 106 of the tongue hole 36 slightly below the upper side of the anvilhole 258, the tongue hole thus being slightly out of register with theanvil hole, with the plate 32 engaging the bottom 6 310 of the anvil 218and the plate 30 spaced below the plate 32 as in FIG. 2.

With the trigger 262 in its inoperative position as shown in FIG. 20, afinger of the hand of the operator holding the handle 261 pulls thetrigger upward, causing the same, by reason of engagement of its camsurface 280 with the valve nose 276 to move the valve 270 in thedirection to compress the spring 278 to an extent to block the exhausthole 300 and locate the valve ports 284 and 230 in substantial registerwith the inlet and outlet ports 282 and 296, respectively, so thatcompressed air from the inlet passage 264 passes through the portopenings 282, 284, the valve groove 292, the openings 290 and 296, thepassage 294 and the cylinder hole 298 to thereby enter the cylinder 202and force the pitson 204 downward, causing its surface 312 to engage thehead 232 of the plunger 230 and force the same down to the positionoccupied in FIGS. 21 and 22.

In this movement of the plunger 230, its protuberance 252 engages thecam surface 228 of the die jaw 224 and thus rotates the jaw into theposition occupied in FIGS. 21 and 22. As the jaw 224 swings toward theanvil 218, the tapered nose of the pilot pin 260 engages the top 106 ofthe tongue hole 36 and nudges the tongue 34 upward, thu raising theplate 30, until the plate is in tight flatwise engagement with the plate32. As the operative swing of the jaw 224 continues, the deforming sides257 of the jaw engage and bend the tongue margins 48 progressivelydownward about the side edges 308 of the anvil face 255, the deformationof the bases or bottoms of said margins being accompanied by a shearingof the margin bottoms,

forming locking tabs 312 securely on the opposite sides of thelongitudinal median of tongue 34 for interlocking the plates 30 and 32as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. The deforming operation is practicallyinstantaneous.

Upon the operators release of the trigger 262, the spring 278 expandsand causes the valve nose 276 to cam the trigger downward to theposition shown in FIG. 20, where the trigger is stopped by suitablemeans (not shown), the valve 270 thus moving to a position in which itprevents access of air from the inlet port 282 tothe handle passage 296,and in which the valve opening 288 substantially registers with thehandle port 296, and the valve exhaust port 286 substantially registerswith the handle exhaust hole 300, whereupon the air in the cylinder 202above the piston 204 escapes by passing through the cylinder hole 298,the handle passage 294, the ports 296 and 288, the groove 292; and theexhaust holes 286 and 300, to the atmosphere, the piston being meanwhileraised to its initial position by the spring 314, preparatory to thenext deforming operation.

By use of the same tool employing, however, an anvil 320 and jaw 322having the form shown in FIGS. 24 to 26, the tongue 24 may be deformedto the shape shown in FIGS. 26 and 27.

The anvil 320 has a pilot receiving hole 324 which at the bottom of itsinner end is interrupted by a vertical groove 326 whose side walls 328are tangent to the sides of the hole. The jaw 322 has a pilot pin 330below which the jaw is formed with a V-projection 332, the tapered nose334 of the pin projecting beyond the projection. The

top 106 of the tongue hole 36 is spaced slightly below the top 336 ofthe anvil hole 324 a distance equal to the distance between the plates30 and 32 intheir preliminary assembly, and the pilot pin 330 is solocated that, when the jaw 322 is swung to its final position, the pinis coaxial with the anvil hole. Thus, as the pilot pin 330 enters thetongue hole 36, the nose 334 of the pin engages the upper part 106 ofsaid tongue hole and cams the tongue 34 upward a distance sufiicient tobring the plates 30 and 32 into tight fiatwise interengagement. Thebottom of the V-projection 332 of the jaw 322 is arranged to movetangentially relative to the plate 32, and the projection is arranged sothat its apex 336 will engage the full length 7 of the intermediateportion 50 of the tongue centrally from the bottom of the tongue hole 36to the upper surface of the plate 32. Thus, as the jaw 322 continues itsrocking movement, the projection 332 shears the tongue. portion 50centrally from the tongue. hole 36 to the plate 32 and also shears thesame tongue portion at the opposite sides of the apex 336 to formadjacent wings or tabs 338 which tightly engage the plate 32, producinga plate-locking tongue formation shown in FIGS. 26 and 27.

Referring now to the hand tool shown in FIGS. 28-34, inclusive, thistool comprises a tubular sleeve member 49% having a handle 402 integraltherewith and also having a tubular liner 405 retained in any suitablemanner as by Set screws 407.

Longitudinally slideable and rotatable within the members 400 and 405 isa rod 410, a free extremity of this rod being diametrically grooved asat 412. As seen best in FIGS. 28 and 29, the outerend portion 415 ofliner ass is reduced on the inside to provide an annular space 438between the rod 410 and liner 405. A bevel 420 is provided at the outerextremity of said reduced portion 415 of the liner 405, as seen clearlyin FIGS. 29-3l and '33.

As seen in FIGS. 30, 31 and 33, the reduced portion 415 of the liner 405is diametrically slotted at the end thereof, as at 422, the innercorners of said slots being bevelled as seen at 423.

' A detent 424 is seated in a correspondingly shaped aperture formednear the free extremity'of rod 410, said detent being more or lesscylindrical in shape with rounded ends, the outer extremity of saiddetent normally bearing against the bevelled. surface 420, which servesto cam the detent through its aperture in the rod. The rod 410 also hasan integral longitudinal rib 421 extending across the space 418 so as tobear against the inner surface of the liner 405.

Arranged on the opposite end of rod 410 is a manipulat-ing handleindicated generally by the numeral 425, comprising a pair of levers 426,426' pivoted together as at 427, one or more compression springs 428being interposed between said levers. The lever. 426 is fixed to the rod410 as at- 430. Also secured to said rod adjacent the lever 426 is adisk 432 having diametrical bosses 435 on opposite sides of rod 410which seat in grooves formed in another plate 437 which may be integralwith sleeve 400. It will be noted that the cooperative relation of thebosses 435 and grooves formed in plate 437- serve to locate the groove412 of rod. 410 in alignment with the slots 422 of liner 405. V

Lever 426 of the handle 425 has a bifurcated anvil portion 440 which isrounded on both sides thereof, substantially occupying the space betweenplate portion 437 and the end of the tubular member 400. against whichsaid anvil 440 bears.

The operation of this tool is as follows. Assuming that plates P and Pare to be secured together, they plate P will be provided with a slot Sto receive. a tongue T which. is punched out of the. plate P, saidtongue T having an aperture A formed therein, of such size as, toreceive the rounded end of detent 424 but-being ofs'maller diameter thanthe. maximum diameter of said detent.

In the first-step of the operation, with the handles 402. and 425 of thetool in parallel relation (1 16.32) and with the slots 412 and,422- inalignment, as seen in-EIGS. 30 and 31, the tool is brought intoengagement with the work in such, manner that the. tongue T of plate Pextends into the afore said slots 412; and 422. It will be seen that inthis position the rod 410 extends slightly beyond theextremity oftubularmembers 400 and 405, as seen in FIG. 28, The operator then pressestogether levers 4 26 and 426' and simultaneously presses the toolagainst the work, whereupon the, parts will assume. a relationship asseen in 29. It should be. noted that when this position is assumed thedetent 424. will be cammed by thebevelled. surface 420, of the tool intothe aperture A of tongue T of the plate, thus effectively handle 402 andthe tool is then withdrawn from the work. 7

As seen best in FIG. 33 the result of this operation is. the formationon opposite sides of tab T of ears E which, by projecting angularly fromthe slot S of plate P, serve to lock the two plates firmly together.

Various changes coming with-in the spirit of my invention may suggestthemselves to those. skilled in the art. Hence I do not wish tobeilimited to the specific embodiments described or uses mentioned, butintend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope. of my inventionbeing: limited only by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. A tool for securely coupling a pair of sheet metal plates inflat-wise interengagement, one plate having a narrow opening, the secondplate having a planar struckup tongue extending through the opening andalso having a hole in the intermediate part thereof'spaced from thefirst plate, said device comprising a cylindrical rod with a diametralend kerf adapted to receive the intermediate portion of the tongue, apin mounted in said' rod, a spring-pressed manually releasable pawlpivotally mounted on said pin and having a tooth adjacent said slot,said tooth being disposed within the confines of said rod and biasedtransversely toward said kerf and engageable in the hole in the tonguewhen the tongue is in the said kerf, a sleeve telescoped about said rodand having a doubleabranched slot into which said pin projects, onebranch of said. slot extending circumferentially and the other branchextending helically from the open end. of: said circumferential branchtoward the kerfed end of said rod, said. branches extending at an.obtuse angle to each other, said sleeve having diametricallyoppositeend: v

notches, substantially wider than and communicating with said kerf, saidpin projecting into the closed end. of said helicalv branch whentheintermediate. part of the tongue is receivable in said kerf and themarginal parts of the. tongue are receivable in said notches, whereby,when relative rotation. takes place between said rod and said. sleeve,said. pin and helical branch cooperate. oam-wise to efiect relativeaxial movement. between said rod and sleeve, to the end that said toothpulls the tongue and. said sleeve thrusts the firstplate into. tightflatwise. engagement with the second plate, said pin being located atthe open end of said circumferential. branch. and a side.

of one notch is disposed adjacent one longitudinal edge.

said pin and circumferential branch cooperate tov con-.

Lfine said rod and sleeve to. relative rotation and said: notch sidesshear the longitudinal margins of the tongue. in the plane of theadjacent face of the. first plate. and at the same time bend said,margins about the 1ongitudinal edges of said kerf, imparting to thetongue a;trans.-. verse Z-shape, the sheared edges, of; the marginsthenengaging the first plate and thus securely interlocking the plates,said pawl having a portion manually movable to withdraw said tooth fromthe tongue hole to, enable the deformed tongue to be withdrawn from saiddevice, said rod and sleeve being relatively rotatable in the directionopposite to that above set forth to separatev said notch sides from thetongue and thereby facilitate withdrawal ofthe tongue.

2. A hand tool of the class described comprising a cylindrical member, arod rotatable and longitudinally slideable relative to said member, thecorresponding endof said member and of said rod being diametricallygrooved for receiving a sheet metal piece ed'gewise, and means for;axially shifting said member and rod a slight 9 distance relative toeach other and for effecting relative rotation.

3. A tool of the class described, comprising an inner member having acylindrical end portion with a diametr-al kerf, an outer membertelescoped about said end and having diametrically oppositelongitudinally extending notches adjacent and adapted to communicatewith said kerf, each notch having a flat side, said sides facing in thesame direction circumferentially and lying in parallel planesequidistant from the axis of said inner member, outer portions of saidsides lying in a diametral plane containing said axis, said membersbeing relatively rotatable to enable said plane to incline relative toand cross the plane of said kerf.

4. A tool of the class described, comprising an inner member having acylindrical end portion with a diametral kerf, an outer membertelescoped about said end and having diametrically oppositelongitudinally extending notches adjacent and adapted to communicatewith said kerf, each notch having a flat side, said sides facing in thesame direction circumferentially and lying in parallel planesequidistant from the axis of said inner member, outer portions of saidsides lying in a diametral plane containing said axis, said membersbeing relatively rotatable to enable said plane to incline relative toand across the plane of said kerf, and releasable means cooperating withsaid inner member and projectable transversely into said kerf forlocking therein a piece of sheet metal, opposite portions of whichbeyond said kerf, are to be bent by said sides.

5. A device of the class described, comprising an inner member having acylindrical end portion with a diametral kerf, an outer membertelescoped about said end having a notch with a non-radial flat sideextending parallel to the axis of and terminating inwardly at the boreof said outer member, said outer member being rotatable relative to saidinner member to move said side to a position at which said side forms anangle with said kerf.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a member having a kerftherethrough adapted to receive the intermediate portion of a planarpiece of sheet metal whose protruding end portions are to be bent aboutsaid member at the side edges of said kerf, bending means operativelyconnected with said member and having opposite flat faces equallyrelated to said kerf and adapted to be equally inclined to the sheetmetal piece when the piece is arranged as aforesaid, and means formoving said faces simultaneously toward said plane to enable said facesto bend the protruding ends of the sheet metal piece at the side edgesof the kerf.

7. A tool of the class described, comprising an inner member having acylindrical end formed with a kerf containing the axis thereof, an outermember telescoped about said end and having opposite parallel facesequally related to said kerf, one face being disposed at one side of theplane of said kerf in proximity to a longitudinal edge of said kerf whenthe other face is disposed at the opposite side of said plane inproximity to the other longitudinal edge of said kerf, and means forrelatively rotating said members throughout a distance such that saidfaces form angles with the plane of said kerf at the edges of said kerf.

8. A tool of the class described, comprising an inner member having acylindrical end formed with a kerf containing the am's thereof, an outermember telescoped about said end and having opposite parallel facesequally related to said kerf, one face being disposed at one side of theplane of said kerf in proximity to a longitudinal edge of said kerf whenthe other face is disposed at the opposite side of said plane inproximity to the other longitudinal edge of said kerf, and means forrelatively rotating said members throughout a distance such that saidfaces form angles with the plane of said kerf at the edges of said kerf,said faces terminating at an end sur- 10 face of said outer member anddefining therewith shearing edges normal to said axis.

9. A tool of the class described, comprising an inner member having acylindrical end formed with a kerf containing the axis thereof, an outermember telescoped about said end and having opposite parallel facesequally related to said kerf, one face being disposed at one side of theplane of said kerf in proximity to a longitudinal edge of said kerf whenthe other face is disposed at the opposite side of said plane inproximity to the other longitudinal edge of said kerf, means forrelatively rotating said members throughout a distance such that saidfaces form angles with the plane of said kerf at the longitudinal edgesof said kerf, and releasable means mounted on said inner member andengageable in said kerf for locking 2. piece of sheet metal therein.

10. A tool of the class described, comprising an inner member having acylindrical end formed with a kerf containing the axis thereof, an outermember telescoped about said end and having opposite parallel facesequally related to said kerf, one face being disposed at one side of theplane of said kerf in proximity to a longitudinal edge of said kerf whenthe other face is disposed at the opposite side of said plane inproximity to the other longitudinal edge of said kerf, and means forrelatively rotating said members throughout a distance such that saidfaces form angles with the plane of said kerf at the respective edges ofsaid kerf, said faces terminating at the end surface of said outermember in shearing edges normal to said axis, means operative when saidfaces are respectively spaced from said plane and pursuant to forcetending to effect predetermined relative rotation of said members forsubjecting said members to combined relative rotation and axialtranslation until said faces substantially touch said plane, and meansoperative pursuant to con tinuation of said force for confining saidmembers to relative rotation.

11. A tool of the class described, comprising an inner member formedwith a kerf, an outer member telescoped about said inner member andhaving opposite faces equally related to said kerf, means for relativelymoving said members throughout a distance such that said faces formangles with the plane of said kerf at the respective opposite edges ofsaid kerf, and means for locking the intermediate portion of a sheetmetal plate in said kerf during such relative movement.

12. A tool of the class described comprising a cylinder, a piston insaid cylinder, a sleeve fixed to and extending from said piston parallelto the cylinder axis toward an end of said cylinder and having anexternal projection spaced from said piston, a rod fixed at one end tosaid cylinder end and telescopically received in said sleeve, a plungerextending in said cylinder and having a portion telescoped with saidsleeve between said projection and said piston and capable of movementselectively by said piston and projection lengthwise of said sleeve, analcove connected to said cylinder adjacent said end thereof, a die anvilfixed in said alcove, a pivoted die jaw complemental to said anvil, saidalcove having an opening to admit a piece of sheet metal to a positionbetween said anvil and said jaw, said jaw having a surface facing awayfrom said anvil and facing a wall of said alcove, said surfacecomprising a first portion inclined toward said alcove wall and theother end of said cylinder and a second portion inclined toward saidalcove wall and away from said cylinder, said alcove wall extendingparallel to said axis, said plunger having a free end projecting intosaid alcove, one side of said free end being slidable along said alcovewall and the opposite side of said free end being in the form of arounded protuberance projecting into engagement with said jaw surface,said protuberance being movable by said piston during the final portionof the working stroke of said piston into engagement with the secondincline portion of said jaw surface to swing said jaw toward said anvil,said protuberance being movable by said sleeve projection against theother inclined portion of said jaw surface during the final portion ofthe return stroke of said piston to swing said jaw away from said anvil,and means operative at will for reciprocating said piston.

13. A tool of the class described comprising a cylinder, a piston insaid cylinder, a sleeve fixed to and extending from said piston parallelto the cylinder axis toward an end of said cylinder, said sleeve havingan external projection spaced from said piston, a plunger extending insaid cylinder and having a boss movable along said sleeve between saidprojection and said piston, an alcove connected to said cylinder end, adie anvil fixed in said alcove, a die jaw movable relative to andcomplemental to said anvil, said alcove having an opening to admit apiece of sheet metal to a position between said anvil and said jaw, saidjaw having a pair of inclined cam surfaces said plunger having a camportion adjacent said cam surfaces, said cam portion being engageablewith one of said cam surfaces during the final portion of the workingstroke of said piston to cam said jaw toward said anvil, and with theother cam surface during the final portion of the return stroke of saidpiston to cam said jaw away from said anvil, and means operative at willfOr reciprocating said piston, and means on said jaw. engageable withthe inner surface of a hole in the piece of sheet metal to cam the piecefurther inward immediately before commencement of the die operationthereon.

14. A tool of the class described comprising a cylinder, a pistontherein, a die anvil fixed to said cylinder, a cooperatingdi'e jawadjacent said anvil, means responsive to movement of said piston in itsWorking stroke to move said jaw toward, said anvil and responsive tomovement of said piston in its return stroke for withdnawing said jawfrom said anvil, means for reciprocating said piston,

12 and means on said jaw for engaging a portion of a sheet metalworkpiece'inserted between said anvil and jaw for drawing the workpiecemore deeply intothe space between said anvil and' jaw as said jawapproaches said anvil.

1-5. A tool for loekingin tight flatwise interengagement' a. pair ofplates, one of which has a slot and the other a right angularly. offsetperforated tongue projecting through, the slot, said tool comprising amember having an opening for the reception of the tongue, meansincluding a projection engageable in the hole in the tongue when thetongue is in said opening to retain the tongue in said member, means formoving said projection in a direction to force the slotted plate intotight engagement with said member at the mouth of said opening, andmeans for bending and shearing a portion of the tongue at the vjunctureof said portion with the slotted plate so that the sheared edge of saidportion tightly engages the adjacent surface of the slotted plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

